1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door sealing device for an industrial furnace. More specifically, the invention relates to vertical sealing devices intended for use in conjunction with vertically arranged doors to an industrial furnace.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, industrial furnaces are used for heating of various materials, such as metals. In order to avoid unnecessary thermal losses during operation, openable doors are used with the industrial furnaces, which can be sealed when no material at the moment needs transportation into or out of the furnace. Generally, such doors are arranged vertically, and are consequently opened or closed using a vertical door movement. Advantageously, the door is opened by raising it and closed by again lowering it.
A problem associated with the operation of this type of doors is that it is difficult to obtain a satisfying seal between the moving side wall of the door and the wall of the industrial furnace. Such a seal is desirable in order to avoid thermal losses, leakage of outside air into the furnace and leakage of flue gases, etc. Because of the elevated temperatures inside the industrial furnace, it is difficult to find sealing materials with sufficient life times in the inhospitable environment surrounding the edge of the door.